Accusations
by CrimsonRae
Summary: Tag to How Do You Like Me Now (3x05). What we didn't see with Wade and Zoe after he claims that she still loves him.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I've been binge-watching Hart of Dixie on Netflix. This is a scene that has been playing in my head for a while and I needed to do a writing exercise as I rework my plots for my other two stories. It surprised me that Zoe never responded to Wade's comment the first time around and I wanted to play with what we didn't see between scenes. One-Shot, for now, let me know if you'd like more. If you're reading my Peaky Blinder fic - I will be updating soon. Same with My Captain America fic. Please read, review, and enjoy.

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**Accusations of Love**

_'You and I both know damn well that you're still in love with me.'_

The casual off-handed way that Wade uttered those words were almost deceptive to the untrained ear, but Zoe was anything but untrained when it came to Wade Kinsella and his tone did nothing to hide his thinly veiled frustration. She could practically feel it as she caught herself in time from meeting his gaze, suddenly all too aware of how close they were standing together. She couldn't and didn't deny his words though.

A fact that Wade didn't miss as he watched her from the corner of his eye while he hollered encouragements up to her trapped boyfriend. It was a tad petty to find as much entertainment as he did from Zoe's stressed bewilderment. The predicaments that she seemed to fall into were usually of her own making - this one he had nudged admittedly. She had placed herself into the pan and while he would never throw her into the fire, he would add oil to that flame to make it burn just that much hotter. He couldn't help it. Listening to Joel and Lynly puzzle out George Tucker had been amusing for the most part... until Joel had gone on about rewriting the story of the second act guy. Wade had to wonder how long it would take the writer to realize that the first act guy wasn't even George Tucker. He had nearly rolled his eyes but had found the opportunity of watching Zoe's new boyfriend make an ass out of himself too tempting to pass up. It was his small way of lashing out at her, Wade could acknowledge, lashing out at the seemingly never-ending punishment game that Zoe seemed to enjoy inflicting on him. While he knew that he deserved whatever she dished out, a man had his limits and this was his quiet warning that he wouldn't be taking her punishments for too much longer.

"Help!" Joel's strangled cry tore Wade from his thoughts.

A small tendril of guilt curled in his gut and Wade turned to grab another handful of popcorn from the girls as he fought it down. Zoe had moved away from him, uncertainty wafting off her in waves as she hurriedly dialed the fire department. Luckily, Wade knew that the Reverend had given the fire chief a heads up about this little trip when Zoe had volunteered to help...Smart man. Help wouldn't take terribly long to arrive.

"Joel! Just - just hold on, okay!? Help is coming!" Zoe cried up as the writer's fingers clung tenuously to the zip-line bar, "I swear, we'll get you down soon."

A muffled whimper escaped Joel's throat in response. Wade nearly winced at the sound, mildly surprised that the man's grip hadn't begun to slip yet. He wondered if all that typing had made his fingers stronger. However, his sympathy quickly disappeared when he felt that he was the one more in danger of being hurt as Zoe whipped around to glare at him, the first real head-on look she had given him since he had shown up with her boyfriend. An accusing finger was pointed in his direction and for the second time that day Wade found himself refraining from rolling his eyes. Zoe seethed lowly, "No more whiskey, Wade. It makes him stupid!"

"Oh, I dunno, Doc." Wade raised a brow and shrugged as his gaze drifted from Joel's dangling form to Zoe's worried fury, "Can hardly blame a guy for feelin' like second best... especially around you."

Zoe's eye's flashed indignantly at the dig and Wade nearly balanced back on his heels as he waited for whatever grenade she was about to lob at him. Instead, her voice wafted out in a soft whisper, almost too low for him to hear, "Why are you doing this?"

He wasn't sure if she had meant to ask that question, but it's asking sent the small tendril of guilt crashing into his frustration. Some days he really wanted to strangle this woman. He opened his mouth to respond, but the shrill cry of the fire truck approaching cut him off. Silently, they both turned towards the flashing lights. Zoe breathed a quiet sigh of relief and Wade snorted bitterly. Of course, she had her escape... he did too, "And that's my cue."

"Wha-"

Wade barely paid her any mind as he turned to nod at George, "Tucker... Joel, you hang in there, bud. I'll see you later."

"See ya, Wade!" Joel cry down, "Thanks for the ride!"

Wade smiled amused as he sauntered to his car. The rescue crew had already commandeered Zoe's attention as he threw his seat-belt on. He stayed long enough to make sure that Joel got down safely - despite his best intentions on wanting to hate Joel Stevens, Wade found that he actually liked the goofy writer. He wasn't a bad guy and it only took a few minutes of conversation to realize that Zoe had basically given the poor man no warning about her previous romantic history with the men in Bluebell. A fact only reinforced by watching Dash gleefully fill the man in on the George-Zoe-Lemon drama that had played out almost two years ago - thankfully only a quick glare had been needed to keep the town gossip from gossiping about his and Zoe's relationship. Wade sighed quietly as he wondered if the Doc even knew what she was doing.

* * *

It was late by the time Wade returned back to his gatehouse. His detour with Joel had left him away from work long enough to feel guilty about Wanda covering and closing. He had shooed the spunky redhead home to Tom and finished out the night on his own. No sense in him spending the evening brooding by himself - at least that's what he told himself. He did a good amount of brooding in a crowded bar too. Holding back a yawn, he plodded quietly up the steps, pulling his keys out as he went.

"You never answered my question."

Wade swore and felt his heart lurch as he dropped his keys at the unexpected sound of an all too familiar voice. He turned sharply to find Zoe sitting in the darkened corner of his deck. Her eyes glittered angrily at him and he wondered how long she had been waiting to pounce, "What in the hell are you doing here Doc? Aside from giving me a damn heart attack."

"You never answered my question." Zoe stated again primly. She didn't move, but she didn't seem like she was keeping still to Wade. Tension threaded the lines of her body, tension he found his body mirroring.

With a forced nonchalance he stooped to pick up his keys, "What question was that again?"

"You know what question, Wade!" Zoe exclaimed with a lurch to her feet, "Why?" -Her arms flailed with her vexation as she tried to make her point known, "Why are you doing this? Why are you getting my boyfriend drunk? Why are you -"

"Why am I what, Doc?" Wade queried coolly, stepping towards her, "Come on, Zoe. What? What have I done to have you in such a tizzy now?"

Her breathes came in heavy bursts as she tried to gain control, yet Zoe couldn't look away as she struggled to contain the words and emotions that wanted to pour out. He did this to her - he made her a raving lunatic. Her silence stretched on for too long.

Wade sighed and turned to head into his home, "It's been a long day, Zo. I'm gonna ta bed. When you figure out what it is that has you so up in arms...come find me. No - actually don't."

"Joel's not second best."

There it was. Wade nearly laughed. Had the good doctor really camped out on his deck to make a full-throated defense of her boyfriend? Bitter anger tore through him and it only took one look at her equally angry gaze for him to lash out, "No, he's not. He barely even registers in the Winner's Circle."

Zoe's eyes widened piqued, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it means? Hell, Zoe, the man learned more about you today from Dash than he has from you." Wade turned from her and wrestled open his door, "He followed you like a lost puppy down here and I'm fairly sure if he hadn't he would have received a nice Dear John email from ya when you decided that you weren't going back to New York." He stormed over to his cooler, not caring if she followed him inside or not. He needed a damn beer, "You care more about what this crazy town thinks of him than you do about actually having an honest -keyword here is honest - to God relationship with him."

"None of that's true! I have an honest relationship with him!" Zoe cried. Wade snorted and took a swig of his beer. She fairly stamped her foot in exasperation, "I do!"

"Does he even know you're here?" Wade asked pointedly as he whirled on her, "Does he know that you've been camped out on your ex-boyfriend's deck all night? The ex-boyfriend who only seven months ago professed his love for you?"

"I- " Zoe managed to choke out, suddenly looking very trapped.

"No?" Wade tilted his head in faux surprise, "Imagine my shock."

Zoe scoffed, trying desperately to hold on to her anger, but the first strands of shame were beginning to weave through her conscious. She couldn't seem to make her feet move - to leave though, "I'm in love him, Wade. I really am."

Wade leveled her with an unimpressed look that silently called bullshit, "No - you care for him. You forget I know the difference with you."

"Really?" Zoe's scoff came more naturally this time, "Is that why you acted like such a caveman when it came to George?"

"I acted like a caveman because I knew _you_ were attracted to George, Zoe. Not because you were in love with him." Wade stated firmly, "Because I was afraid you would do with him, what I... what I ended up doing to you."

It was like all the tension in the room had been drained out with those words. The old hurt and misery rising to the surface as Zoe's shoulders slumped and she turned to leave. She made it to the door before Wade spoke again, "The real way I know you don't love him, Zoe, is that you came here. You're trying to convince me of what you can't convince yourself."

"You're wrong." Zoe whispered over her shoulder before she disappeared into the night.

"No, I'm really not." Wade sighed to himself as he took another long swig from his beer. He felt exhausted but knew he wouldn't be finding sleep any time soon. He wondered how long Zoe would avoid him this time. Despite what she thought...he did know her, better than she would like, "Damn it, Zoe."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: My muse is very Wade and Zoe centered right now... probably because I'm really disliking the way season 3 and 4 went for these two. Ok, so my one-shot is now a two-shot. Tag to 3x06 - I don't like the way the show glossed over Zoe's reaction to Vivian's words. Especially when you take into consideration the screwed up family life she already has - her relationship with her mom and Ethan, and the relationship she was never allowed with Harley. Plus, I feel like Wade is almost always there when she's in need. So please read, review and enjoy.

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**Accusations of Nothing**

Dolphin Tale had lied to her.

Zoe sighed woefully as she trudged up the steps to the gazebo. She slid gracelessly onto the cold wooden bench and hugged her knees to her chest as she looked out on the silent town square. Joel had fallen asleep hours ago, his netbook still playing videos of card tricks from where it had gotten knocked to the floor during their private magic show. She'd have to remember to plug it in for him when she got back. It was sweet – he was sweet, to go along with her crazy scheme, to commit himself to the humiliation that he had to have known would follow. She had certainly humiliated herself at any rate. She tried not to flinch as she remembered the controlled outrage and hurt in Vivian's gaze when she had finally revealed her true identity.

God, what had she expected? Life wasn't a friggin' children's movie. Happily-Ever-After's didn't happen to Zoe Hart... no matter how much she wanted one too. For a brief moment, she saw what it was like to have a family - her family. The teasing, the laughing, the love, the support, everything that she had missed out on when she had moved to Bluebell the first time around. Zoe couldn't even think of why she had turned down their invitations in the first place.

What had she been so scared of?

_'The way it works with family, Miss Hart, is you get out what you put in. And you've put in nothing._'

Her heart twisted and tightened as Vivian's words echoed in her head. She couldn't deny the truth there. She had put in nothing with the Wilkes. Aunt Maureen had left her with a lasting impression to run fast and far away before hoop-skirts became her future. It had been a strangely similar feeling to when she knew her mother was near. Even her reaction to Joel simply mentioning -though it had been a joke - her parents coming to visit for the holidays had made her heart race with the need to hide.

What was that?

That shouldn't be her first reaction to family. She really did put nothing into her family.

Zoe hugged her knees tighter in an attempt to squash the noxious roll of misery that embroiled her.

"Zoe?"

She flinched, her head snapping away from the darkened view of the main shops to the gazebo's entrance. Wade stood there. She couldn't see his face, the shadows obscuring her sight just enough, but she knew his form and voice anywhere.

"What are you, uh, what are you doing here?" Zoe almost groaned at the tremble in her voice. A new panic and embarrassment coiling in her stomach as she fought to relax and hide the strains of her self-pity party. She didn't need another night of Wade picking her apart. Not with the night at his gatehouse still so fresh in her memory, "Shouldn't you be at home or someone's home?"

She missed his slight flinch and Wade, being Wade, didn't take any notice of her silent and not-so-silent signals to go away, "Could ask you the same question, Doc. Saw someone sittin' in the gazebo, thought it might be Earl trying to sleep one off again." He tilted his head, concern apparent with his every move as he slowly approached her, "What's got you so upset?"

Zoe shifted, forcing herself to unfurl and place her feet on the ground. A hollow smile pulled at her lips even as she continued to hug herself, "I'm not upset. Who says I'm upset? I just couldn't sleep. Thought I'd get some air, you know? It's -"

"Zoe, you're crying." Wade cut in, knowing that she could ramble forever if he let her.

"No, I'm not." She protested, even as her fingers gently reached up to touch her cheek and sure enough, she felt the damp slickness of tears on her skin. She hadn't even noticed, "It's nothing."

"Uh-huh," Wade grunted as he watched her wipe at her eyes. He didn't realize the dark look that had entered his own or the sudden growl to his tone as he started to ask, "Did Joel -"

Zoe threw her hands up as if to calm him, "Whoa Cowboy, down. No. Joel hasn't done anything. I swear."

The last thing she needed was Wade storming off to defend her honor or whatever it was that guys defended, especially on a boyfriend who had done nothing but be kind to her. There was a long moment as Wade considered her before he nodded and slumped down onto the bench beside her, "Good. For a moment there I thought I was gonna have to teach him a lesson in civility."

Zoe snorted and rolled her eyes, "Please ."

"You think I wouldn't?" Wade asked semi-seriously as he gestured back towards the Rammer Jammer, "Woman, I will get my bat right now. I have the keys to the bar in my pocket. Not that I'd need it – my fists work just as well. Except my left's a little weak from closing a drawer on it, but I -" He held said hand up in a contemplation so seemingly serious that Zoe couldn't help but softly chuckle. He grinned, "See now, that's much better."

"Shut up." She whispered, though the smile that tugged at her lips wasn't as hollow anymore. She could feel him studying her, however, and she didn't want the scrutiny, "I really am okay, Wade. You don't need to keep me company."

"Yeah, cuz it's completely normal for you to be crying in the middle of town at three o'clock in the morning." He stated dryly.

"Wade." Zoe sighed, a plea to stop and to leave it alone all wrapped up in one word. He didn't of course. Zoe was sure that the idiom 'poking the bear' had been invented because of him.

He bent to catch her gaze, "Look Zo, usually when you're this upset I'm the one that's caused it. And I can't think of anything I've done in the past few days to make you cry. Seein' as you've been avoiding me like the plague and all. So this leaves me a might worried that someone else is messin' with you. If it ain't Joel then ...?"

He let his question dangle for her to fill in and she tried not to squirm under his heavy stare but she was always caught by surprise when Wade turned serious. His eyes would lock onto her with an intensity that could make a hurricane jealous but would cause her heart to beat a little faster. There was no denying that she had his full attention, and like every other time she had been on the receiving end of it - she didn't know what to do.

Zoe breathed out resignedly and she broke away from his stare, "I met the Wilkes Clan today. Crashed a kid's birthday party and everything."

There was a pause and she could practically hear the penny drop as Wade studied her anew.

"Do I wanna know how badly you mucked that up?" he asked unnecessarily as he waited for the rest of the story to come out.

"Hey!" She cried out indignantly before wilting under his knowing leer, she huffed quietly, "I might have told them that my name was Chloe and that I was the manager for their magician... Who may have been Joel."

"Might have told? May have been...?"

"I did ... and he was."

Wade tried his best not to laugh, though an amused grin spilled out as he asked, "And did he have to pull a rabbit out of his hat?" Zoe glowered darkly at him and he raised an apologetic hand, "Sorry, hardly surprisin' the situations you fall into anymore... How do you constantly do this?"

"I don't know." Zoe groaned covering her face, "If I could just redo everything I did today - step back in time...something."

He smiled sympathetically. If there were ever a feeling that Wade Kinsella could commiserate with...that would be the one. How many times had he wished he could go back and do things over, "So I take it the trouble came when they found out you weren't really a magician?"

"Magician's manger." Zoe corrected sullenly through her hands, "Everything was going great actually. They were so nice and welcoming. I had cake and danced and I met my uncle and my cousins..."

"But...?"

"But then, I decided to tell the truth. Just said it." Zoe grumbled with a wave of such regret that Wade almost wished he could turn back time for her, "Surprise, my name's not actually Chloe. It's Zoe. You know, your cousin? And my boyfriend and I have just totally lied to you for the past few hours. But that's okay, just because..."

Wade stayed silent and she choked back a sob as she repeated Vivian's words, "Just because I happen to be in the bloodline doesn't mean I belong, right? The way it works with family is you get out what you put in, or so I've been told. And I've put in nothing. So, I was nothing, but the entertainment... I couldn't even -."

She swallowed tightly.

"God, I'm so stupid. Why did I think everything would be okay?" Tears burned the edge of her lids as she fought against the swell of turbulent hurt., "Worse part of it was that I didn't even know I wanted to be apart of their family until I was there. I thought _those_ kinds of families were myths."

"Those kinds of families?" Wade drawled curiously.

"The happy kind. The supportive kind." She whispered.

Wade breathed out at the anguish she emitted so clearly and found himself resisting the urge to tug her against him. She seemed to sense his fight and he watched as she curled her legs back into her chest. He knew those words about not belonging weren't her own. Whoever had said them to her had managed to strike a nerve that was more fragile than spun glass. Zoe had spent her entire life trying to be seen by her family... to belong.

Not for the first time, he silently cursed Candice and Ethan - even Harley, for the number they did on their daughter, "You're not stupid. Admittedly, telling your family that you were the birthday entertainment wasn't your finest move - nor was crashing a kid's birthday, but Zoe...they're your family -"

"If you say that family is forever, Wade, I will so lose it right now." Zoe said in staunch disbelief.

"What?" To his credit, Wade's brow merely furrowed in confusion, "No. Family is a lot of things, but mostly family is hard - and they typically suck. But if you really want them around you're gonna have to make amends. You'll fix it, probably not right away. You'll mope a little, overthink and obsess too much, but I know you. You'll find a way to smooth things over."

His words weren't the most eloquent but were unabashedly Wade. She smiled wistfully, "You have that much faith in me, huh?"

"Like I said, I know you."

He sounded so confident that Zoe wanted to believe him and the ache in her chest softened minutely. She didn't mean to say it, but she found the words slipping from her mouth before she could stop, "I miss talking to you."

Wade raised a brow, "I haven't gone anywhere, Doc."

That wasn't quite true, but she didn't have the strength for that particular fight. For a moment, Zoe was reminded of the zip-lining fiasco. The way he had sounded so nonchalant when he accused her of still loving him. Yet, there had been an underlying current of something more - a firmness and a conviction she could only hope to have someday, but also a plea. That current was in his voice again and she knew they were no longer talking about her struggles with her family. He was letting her know in a very subtle, unWade-like way that he was still waiting for her.

Her heart pounded and she felt her earlier anxiety return with a vengeance. She couldn't do this now. It would mean revisiting their last conversation, acknowledging that he may have been right about her feelings and that was just not an option.

Her smile turned sad, "But I have."

She stood from the bench intent on making her escape while she could and leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek, "Thank you for listening...Night, Wade."

Zoe wrapped her arms tightly around herself and turned to head back to the Whippoorwill. Wade watched her until she was across the street and safely inside. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face tiredly, "Night Zoe."


End file.
